According to the most widely accepted interpretation, the name “Diarizos” derives from the river’s two principal “roots”: its two main mountain branches, the Platy and Kaminaria streams, which originate in the Troodos mountain range. The river then flows through a mosaic of natural systems and agricultural landscapes before reaching the sea near Kouklia.
The upper reaches are predominantly perennial, while the downstream reaches are intermittent. At several locations along the middle and lower course, springs maintain local flow throughout the year. These sections provide important ecological refuges by sustaining fish populations, supporting aquatic organisms and helping preserve riparian habitats during prolonged periods of drought.
The hydrology of Diarizos is strongly influenced by Arminou Dam, which is used for irrigation and for transferring water to the Kouris Reservoir. Although the dam has altered the river’s natural flow regime, extensive sections of the river continue to retain high ecological value.
Diarizos catchment intersects ten sites of the Natura 2000 Network -four Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and six Special Protection Areas (SPAs)-namely: CY4000002 Cha-Potami, CY4000003 Koilada Diarizou, CY2000016 Dasos Pafou, CY5000004 Ethniko Dasiko Parko Troodous (SAC and SPA), CY2000006 Dasos Pafou, CY4000017 Gkremoi Chanoutari, CY4000018 Ekvoles Potamon Ezousas, Xerou kai Diarizou, CY4000020 Koilada Diarizou Special Protection Area, and CY5000010 Cha-Potami Special Protection Area. These sites support important habitats and populations of species of European conservation interest.
The Diarizos River also supports the European eel Anguilla anguilla, the only native migratory freshwater fish species in Cyprus. The species is classified as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Maintaining longitudinal river connectivity is particularly important for the European eel, as its life cycle depends on its ability to migrate between inland waters and the sea.
Despite its high ecological importance, the Diarizos is interrupted at numerous locations by artificial structures, including fords, culverts, small dams and water abstraction structures. These structures can act as barriers to the natural continuity of the river, restricting the movement of aquatic organisms and affecting sediment transport, natural hydromorphological processes and, ultimately, the overall functioning and ecological integrity of the river system.
For this reason, Diarizos was selected as the first pilot catchment of the project Phragmographysis. The project aims to inventory, assess and prioritise artificial barriers within the river network and to identify those for which removal, modification or other appropriate interventions could make a meaningful contribution to restoring the river’s natural connectivity. Through its pilot implementation in Diarizos catchment, the project also seeks to develop a scientifically robust approach that can subsequently be applied to other river catchments across Cyprus, contributing to the restoration of natural river functioning, the re-establishment of free-flowing conditions in river stretches, and the implementation of European nature restoration objectives in Cyprus.
